Singapore sprinter Shanti Pereira has qualified for the women’s 200m final at the 2026 Asian Games after topping the heats overall with a time of 23.10 seconds on Saturday (26 September).
The heats were held in wet and cold conditions in Nagoya, Japan, but Pereira still recorded the fastest time among all competitors to secure her place in Sunday’s final.
She will now attempt to defend the women’s 200m Asian Games title she won at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, which were held in 2023.
Pereira And Chen Yujie Set For Another Clash
Pereira’s 200m final comes a day after she won silver in the women’s 100m.
China’s Chen Yujie claimed the 100m gold, with Pereira finishing behind her to take second place. The pair are expected to meet again in the 200m final.
Pereira had entered the Asian Games as one of Singapore’s leading medal hopes after a strong 2023 season, where she became the first Singaporean woman to win an Asian Games sprint gold medal.
Elizabeth-Ann Tan Misses Final Spot
Singapore’s other women’s 200m representative, Elizabeth-Ann Tan, did not qualify for the final.
Pereira will be the only Singaporean in the event’s medal race when the final takes place on 27 September.
